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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. spell — magic
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. spell — letters
  13. bulb — for light
  14. dip — to sink
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — to fit
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fall — the season
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com